The best Mexican Meatballs are spiced with Mexican flavours and made with:
1. crushed corn chips instead of breadcrumbs (more flavour!);
2. a combination of beef AND pork (softer and tastier); and
3. are browned in the oven then simmered in the chipotle tomato sauce for a winning flavour exchange: meatball juices leech into the sauce, and the meatballs absorb the sauce flavour. Win win!
Spiciness: Chipotle powder and fresh jalapeno in meatballs gives it a warm buzz but definitely not spicy. Same for chipotle chilli in sauce. Feel free to reduce both and add a pinch of paprika in its place.

Ingredients

Meatballs:
▢250g / 8oz beef mince (ground beef)
▢250g / 8oz pork mince (ground pork), or more beef (Note 1)
▢1/2 red onion , grated using a standard box grater
▢50g / 1.75 oz plain corn chips , sub breadcrumbs + 1/4 tsp salt (Note 2)
▢1 egg
▢3 tbsp coriander/cilantro , finely chopped (sub chives or parsley)
▢3 tbsp parsley , finely chopped (optional)
▢2 tsp fresh jalapeño , seeds removed and finely minced (reduce/omit for not spicy)
▢Oil spray (preferably olive oil)
Meatball Mexican Spices:
▢1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
▢1 tsp chipotle powder , sub more smoked paprika, reduce for less spicy (Note 3)
▢1 tsp coriander powder
▢1 tsp garlic powder (sub 1/2 fresh garlic clove, finely grated)
▢1/2 tsp paprika , hot for spicy or sweet for not (or sub more Chipotle powder)
▢1 tsp salt
▢1/2 tsp black pepper
Chipotle Sauce:
▢2 tbsp olive oil
▢2 cloves garlic , finely minced
▢1 chipotle from a can of Chipotle in Adobo , finely chopped – add another for extra flavour! (Note 4)
▢1 tsp Adobo Sauce from a can of Chipotle in Adobo (Note 4)
▢800g / 24 oz crushed tomato
▢1 tsp sugar
▢1 tbsp coriander/cilantro , roughly chopped
Toppings & garnishes (pick & choose):
▢Coriander/cilantro leaves , whole
▢Shredded cheese
▢Sour cream
▢Guacamole (or just diced, sliced or mashed plain avocado)
▢Rice, for serving (Note)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/390°F (200°C fan). Place a rack over a tray. Spray rack with oil.

2. Blitz corn chips: Place corn chips in a Nutribullet or food processor. Blitz until they become
fine crumbs. (Else put in a ziplock bag and bash!)

3. Meatball mixture: Place meatball ingredients and meatball Mexican spices in a bowl and mix
well with your hands.

4. Roll meatballs: Roll into 3 – 3.5cm / 1.2 – 1.4″ balls. Place on rack. Should make around 20 –
24 meatballs.

5. Bake 10 minutes: Spray meatballs generously with oil. Bake 10 minutes until browned (they
will still be raw inside, we finish cooking them in the sauce)

Sauce:

1. While the meatballs are in the oven, start the sauce.

2. Sauté garlic and chipotle: Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and
cook for 30 seconds. Add chopped Adobo Chile and sauté for 20 seconds.

3. Simmer 5 minutes: Add tomato, Adobo sauce and sugar. Bring to simmer, then turn heat
down to low and cook, stirring every now and then, for 5 minutes.

Finish Meatballs:

1. Cook meatballs in sauce: Remove meatballs from oven and transfer into sauce. Continue to
cook the sauce for another 10 minutes, rolling meatballs every now and then, until the sauce
is thickened and the meatballs are cooked.

2. Fresh coriander: Sprinkle with chopped coriander/cilantro.

3. Serving: Serve over rice or stuff into tortillas with toppings of choice!

Notes

1. Beef/pork mixture yields softer, juicier meatballs. You can just use all beef, but the meatballs
will be a bit firmer.

2. Corn chips – Crushed cornchips instead of the usual breadcrumbs really adds something special
to these meatballs! You can definitely taste the hint of corn flavour and the salt adds seasoning.
Sub: panko breadcrumbs (1 cup) or ordinary plain bread crumbs (3/4 cup – finer than panko so
you need less for equivalent weight) PLUS 1/4 tsp salt (because corn chips have salt in them).

3. Chipotle powder is ground dried jalapeños and it’s an ingredient used in Mexican and Tex-Mex
cooking. Find it at Harris Farms (Syd), delis, spice stores, bulk-bin health food stores. Everywhere, it
seems, other than Australian major grocery stores!

Also used in: Prawn/Shrimp Tacos, Chipotle Lime Roasted Cauliflower (this is so good!), Cowboy
Bean Salad, Fish Tacos, Mexican Shredded Beef, Chicken Tacos, Cowboy Rice Salad.

4. Chipotles in adobo – These are chipotles (dried, smoked jalapneos) in a flavoured, tangy red
sauce that is quite spicy. Great Mexican shortcut ingredient that adds a ton of flavour! Usually
found in cans (sometimes jars). Widely available in the US, and nowadays in Australia too. Check
the Mexican section of large grocery stores like Coles & Woolies.
Substitute in place of the chipotles in adobo: 1 1/2 tsp chipotle powder + 1/2 tsp SMOKED
paprika powder + 1 tbsp sriracha (YES, really, it’s pretty close to Adobo Sauce!).
Freeze leftover chipotles: Use a small ziplock bag, arranging chillies in one layer so it’s easy to
break a bit off to use as needed. Use for Beef Barbacoa, Mexican Shredded Chicken, Mexican Corn.

5. Rice options!
Plain white rice
Green Mexican Rice (coriander/cilantro rice)
Mexican Red Rice

6. Leftovers – will keep in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or freeze in sauce for
up to 3 months.

7. Nutrition per serving, meatballs and sauce only, assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 401cal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g |
Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 808mg | Potassium: 945mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 866IU |
Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 5mg